Multiple stage rod packing



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Fehs, 1932. WQKQUEEN 1,844,903

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Feb.. 9, 1932. v w. KQUEEN 'MULTIPLE STAGE ROD PACKING 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 3l, v 1929 Feb. 9, 1932. Y w K QUEEN 1,844,903 I MULTIPLE STAGE ROD PACKIG Filed Dec. 5l', 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 9, 1932.

w. K. QUEEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 3l,v y1929 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 ATENT GI-FICE WALTER k. QUEEN, or NEEDHAH HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS HLTIPLE STAGE non rAcxING Application led. December 31, 1929. Serial No. 417,707.,

My invention relatesl to rod-packing for steam engine piston rods, pump piston rods, governor rodsfplungers of plunger elevators and the like, 4 vention relatev particularly to packing for rods that are to be packed against high pressure steam, Water, air, or other fluid.. y

'llhe general obiect of my invention is to improve and simplify the construction, and increase the ethciency and prolong thelife, of rod packing.

.The special objects of my invention are to provide a multiple-stage rod-packing in which the varionsstages act successively from the direction of the source of pressure; to provide means for reducing the volume of leakage from the source of pressure along the -luiri such as a lubricant and at least tivo sets ci piston rod; to provide means such as a leakvoil duct disposed between two stages to relieve the pressure on a given stage caused by leakage past the stage next preceding; and to provide a ductI through the members separating the several stages through which a or plastic packing may be conveyed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view. niy'invention comprises a stuiling box which preferably is provided With rings at either end, that at the innerend, or the end nearer the source of pressure, having a conical depression formed in its inner :tace and the other. at the outer end having its outer face in the `forni ola truncated cone, one or more conical separators placed between said rings packing rings or masses of packing material arranged Y on either side of the separating member and he tween said nieinloer and the ends of the studing box, or between said merecer and said ringaii" the latter are employed.

lli/.ly invention comprises also a novel form of separator' which preierahlyhas an outer convex conical euri-face and an concave conical surface and is provided with a cylins drical iange portion parallel to the axis of said surfaces. Preferably vthe said flange portion is perforated so that when a series of said separatorsare properly positioned the said perrlorations torni a passageway for the introduction of a r'luid.

and certain features of my in- My invention also comprises means such as metallic Washers placed forwardly of a multistage packing for the purpose of reducing the Volume of leakage along the rod from the source of pressure. My invention comprises further the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and set forth, in the appended claims.

In the drawmgs which accompany ,and form a part of this speciication and are to be regarded as mere y illustrative and not restrictive, I have shown several practical embodiments of my invention; hut it is to be understood that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure l is a central longitudinal section oa rod-packing embodyin' my invention and having six stages of'pac lng;

` F igla is airagmentary central longitudinalsection of a multi-stage rod-packing having only two packing stages.

Fig. 2 is a similar section of a modication in which plastic packing is employed. 1 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of a iurthe modification showing the use of nietallic Washers forwardly of a 'plurality of packing rings. I

Figs. i and 5 are fragmentary sections of two other modications.

In the particular drawings selected for more full f disclosing my invention l@ is a stung hon provided with thensual gland. il and enclosing separators l2 herein shown as ve in number, although it will .loe nn= derstood that one only may loe nsed. Each separator hasy an outer convex conical snr face 13 and an inner concave conical surface i4', the outer periphery l5 lits the wall ci? the stun'g loon the inner periphery i6 of each separator is slightly away from the rod i7 which is to he packed. l'reierahiy 'the outer portion ci? each separator isin the torni a cylindrical ange 18, each such flange abutting those of the separators next adjacent thereto being substantially parallel to the axis oil the surfaces i3, 14. As shown in Fig.. l shouln der 19 may he thereoiJ closely o out in the outer surface 13 of each separator to accommodate the end of the ad'acent flange.

Wit in the space between each pair of adjacent separators, the inner periphery of th',` flange and the rod to be packed are placed either packing rings or packing material which are in contact with the rod 17, the inner periphery of each separator being spaced slightly away from said rod. If one separator only is `used the packing material obviously will be disposed between the separator and the respective ends of the stuffing box, I prefer to provide the ends of the stuffing box with rings, the ring at the inner end having a conical depression 21 formed in y its inner face andthe other ring 22 having itsouter face 23 in the form of a truncated cone. A shoulder 19 is cut in the outer face 23 of the outer ring 22, and the inner I'ring 20 is provided with a cylindrical flange 20. The abutting cylindrical flanges of the separators constitute means for preventing deformation of the spaces between each pair of adjacent separators, or between the outer separator and the outer ring 22, while the abutting flanges of the inner ring 20 and the inner separator constitute means for preventing deformation of the space between said inner separator and inner ring, when the gland 11 is tightened.` It follows, therefore, that said spaces are fixed with the result, as hereinafter more fully set forth, that the packing rings act successively as mutually independent units. y Y The contacting surfaces 24 of the ring 2() and inner end wall of the stuffing box may both be ground accurately to make a pressure-tight fit or a gasket (not shown) may be em lo ed between these surfaces. However, if t e construction shown in Fig. 5 1s jemplo ed this is not necessary. i

In ig. 1 I have shown packingrmgs 25, 27-31 disposed between each pair ofhadjacent separators and between the end .rings and the two end separators adjacent thereto, respectively. While five 'separators are shown in this figure, that I do not limit myself'to any particular number thereof, and that one only can be employed, in which case there will be a packing ring on either side of such separator, thereby forming a two-stage self-setting packing, as shown in Fig. 1a. vThe packing rings may be of asbestos or of any other suitable material when the stuffing box is used to prevent the leakage of steam,

or they may be made of vulcanized cotton and rubber or other suitable material when used to prevent the leakage of water, saturated steam, or compressed air, containing moisture, and other low temperature fluids. It is to be understood of course that my invention is not limited to the type of packing rings employed.

4sufficient pressure on the precedin it is to be understood,

As fully explained in the patent Klinglof 1,044,787, November 19, 1912, each ring is ineffective until the inner portion thereof which, as aforesaid, projects slightly beyond the inner peripheries of the separators tact with the rod 17 and prevent leakage of 7,5

the fluid pressure. Referring to Fig. 1 it will be obvious that when first used the innermost ring 25 only is subject to the fluid pressure and that the succeeding rings are relatively loose in their respective spaces. As soon, however, as the innermost ringbecomes worn there will bea certain amount of leakage along the pistonrod to the followin ring 27, whereupon the action of the flui pressure on the projecting inner edges of said ring will press ythe same firmly against the rod and prevent leakage past that rin When this occurs there is, however, su cient pressure on the ring 25 to'cause it; to act as a. partial seal. Eventuall upon by t e fluid pressure which leaks past the ring precedinginwhich case thereis a differential pressure on each of the forwardly placed rings which is sufiiciently high to make each of them act as a partial seal. Finally the outer ring 31 is forced into contact with the rod by the successive breakdown of thepreceding rings and in this case there is rings to cause each to act as a partial seal.

the wear on the outermost ring 31 permits leakage past the same along the rod and out of the stuffing boX, the differential pressures on all six sets of rings will be sufficient for a while to pack the rod-against excessive leakage.

In order to prolong the life ofthe packing I provide one or more sets of metallic washers 32,as shown in Fig. 3, arranged forwardly of the rings 25, 27 etc. and between them 110 and the source of pressure, more especially in cases of very high pressures and where the rod 17 has a ver high' speed of revolution. The metallic was ers 32 reduce the volume of leakage along the rod 17. Generally speaking such washers make an absolute seal but A even where they do not and there is a certain amount of leakage past them, the packing 25' acts as a seal as soon as there is. leakage past the metallic washers which is effective 120 to force the washer 25 against the rod, and, as above explained, the packing rings 27,28 and 29 successively come 'into play and each in turn acts as a seal, or as a partial seal, when the ring preceding it becomes sufficiently worn to permit of leakage.- When the ring 29 becomes worn enough to permit of leakage past it, lthe pressure on the rinl 25, al/ though reduced, and not as high ast e ressure on the metallic packing 32 is still igh D0 the rings 28, 29 and 30 are acted 90 heli final- 103 enough to cause said packing to act as a. -partial seal. However, if one of the separators 12 is provided with a leak-oli' duct 33 extending from its inner to its'outer periphery and registering with a radial duct 34 extending from the inner to the'outer periphery of the stuing box, the life of Vthe packing is still further prolonged because such duct will carry off the leakage, in the present mstance past the metal washers 32 and the packing rings 25, 27 and 28, and thereby re-- duce the pressure exerted on the packing ring 29.v Two or more such leak-oil' ducts may be employed if desired and need not necessarily be located as shown in Fig. 3 immediately forward of the last packing ring. 1 In that form of my inventierrshown in Fig, 4 a leak-oli duct 35 is placed in theseparator following the second set 32 'of metallic washers. The packing material shown in the spaces between the separators following the metallic washers is plastic packing 36, hereinafter more fully described, but it is to be understood that the operation is the same nection with Fig. 1. In the operation of the packing shown in Fig. 4 the metal washers, although having great wear resistive properties with rods having high speeds of revolution under greatpressure, will wear in time and permit a certain amount of leakage which is prevented from passing further along the rod by the packing 36. Now, if the leak-od' 35 were not employed, as soon as the minute annular space between the rod and the inner periphery ofthe separator 12 became filled with the fluid which leaked past the washers 32, the'pressure on the packing 36 would become as great a's the initial pressures on said washers. By relieving such pressure, however, through the duct 35 and the registering duct 37 1n the stufing box, the pressure which the packing 36 and the successive packings 38, 39, etc., have to resist is reduced, thereby increasing the period during which they will remain effectively operative.

Referring again to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the separators shown therein and some et the separators shown in Fig. 4 are provided with a longitudinal duct 40 extending through a cylindrical fiange thereof and substantially parallel to the axis of the conical `surfaces of each separator. Means are provided or preventing relative rotative movement of said separators when said ducts are in register, such means being shown in the I present instance as the dowels 41, while the entire system, including the outer conical ring 22, which is also provided with a duct, is prevented from turning with respect to the stulng box byvmeans ci the dowel 42. In Fig. 3 a lubricant may be introduced into the passageway 'formed by the ducts 40 by way of the pipe 43 to the metallic washers 32 to i reduce the friction between the same and the with packing used such as described in conpiston rod. I In\Fig. 4, however, said duct l1s employed as shown in Fig. 2 for introducing plastic packing material from a grease gun 44 or other adaptable appliance, such plastic packing material after entering the lixed spaces between adjacent separatorrings forming and constituting packing rings. In the appended claims the term packing ring is employed to cover pre-formed rings, such as shown at`25 in Fig. 1, orrings formedk by plastic packing material injected into the spaces between the separators, such as shown at 36 in F ig.2. Plastic packing 'suitable for this purpose consists of pulverized asbestos or graphite, or shredded lead or shredded aluminum mixed with graphite, wax or grease, and the like, and constitutes no part of the present invention.` -A check valve 47 is shown interposed between the grease gun 44 and also between the receptacle 48 containing lubricant, respectively, and the duct 40.

In order to obviate the necessity of employing a gasket between the ring 20 and the inner wall of the stufling box or of grinding the surfaces thereof to make a pressure-tight joint, I may employ cone shaped packing rings 45, as shown in Fig. 5, extending from thev inner periphery of the stuffing box to the rod 17 and interposed betweenthe innermost separator 12 and the ring 46, the inner face of which is provided with a conical depression formed in its inner face, said rings becoming effective when their inner ends are f acted upon by pressure through the annular space 26.

It will be noted that in the preferred forms of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, I provide two safeguards for preventing the premature destruction of the rings which are particularly applicable to abnormally high pressures of the order of 1000 lbs. per square `inch, for example: pressures between 1000 and 5000 lbs. per square inch. These are metallic washers 32 of bearing metal or other suitable material which constitute the first two packing stages, followed by one or more stages of packing rings or plastic packing material, and leak-ofior relier" ducts which, as shown, may be variously located and one or more employed, although only one is shown in each of said figures. A metallic packing reduces the volume of leakage which otherwise would act on the packing ring 29 in Fig. 3, or the masses of packing material 36, etc. in Fig. 4, and the function of the leakoff duct to drain ofi a certain portion of such leakage and still further reduce the amount thereof which otherwise would act on the rings or packing material placed rearwardly of said duct, thus reducing the pressure which otherwise would act deleteriously upon the same. By providing my multi-stage packing with these safeguards the same canbe used effectively withj the abnormal pressures above specilied which otherwise would cut through the packing and render the same useless.

HavinU thus described illustrative embodiments ofj my invention without, however, limiting the same thereto, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A rod packing having a plurality of successively-acting mutually-independent units, each said unit consisting of a packing .ring having the form of a truncated cone at its outer end and a conical depression at its inner end, a stuffing box, said packing rings being disposed in said stuiiing box with their outer ends directed toward the-inner end of said stuffing box and their inner peripheries in contact with the rod to be packed, a" separator disposed in said stutiing box between said packing rings, said separator. having an outer convex conical surface and an inner` concave conical surface, the outer periphery of said separator closely fitting said stuffing box, the inner periphery thereof being slightly spaced away from the rod to be packed and the cuter surface thereof being directed toward the inner end of said stuing box, and means for preventing deformation of the spaces on either side of said separator whereby said packing rings are held loosely in said spaces and act successively as independent units.

2. A rod packing having a plurality of successively-acting mutually-independent units, each unit consisting of a packing ring having the form of a truncated cone at its outer end and a conical depression at its inner end, a stufiing box, said packing rings being disposed in said stuffing box with their outer ends directed toward the inner end of said stuffing box and their inner peripheries in contact with the rod to be packed, a plurality of separators disposed in said stuiiing box, each between a pair of said packing rings, each said separator having an outer convex conical surface and an inner concave conical surface, the outer periphery of each said separator closely fitting said stuing box, the inner periphery thereof being slightly spaced away from the rod to be packed and the outer surface thereof being directed toward the inner end of said stuffing box, and means for preventing deformation of the spaces on either side of said yseparators whereby said packing rings are held loosely in said spaces and act successively as independent units.

3. A rod packing having a plurality of successively-acting mutually independent units, each said unit consisting ofa packing ring having the form of a truncated cone at its outer end and a conical depression at its inner end, a stuffing box, an end ring having a conical depression in its inner face and disposed in said stuffing box at the inner end thereof with its inner face directed away from the inner end of the said stufiing box, a second end ring having its outer face in the form of a truncated cone and disposed in said stuffing f box at the outer end thereof with its outer face directedtoward the inner end of said stuffing box, said packing rings being disposed in said stutiing box with their outer ends directed toward the inner end of said stalling box and their inner peripheries in contact with the rod to be packed, a plurality of separators disposed in said stuliing box, each between a pair of said packing rings, each said separator having an outer convex conical surface and an inner concave conical surface, the outer periphery of each said separator closely fitting said stuffing box, the inner periphery thereof being slightly spaced away from the rod to be packed and the outer surface thereof being directed toward the inner end of said stuling box, and means for preventing the deformation of the spaces between each pair of adjacent separators and between the said end rings 'and the two separators adjacent thereto, respectively, whereby said packing rings are held loosely in said spaces and act successively as independent units. f

4. A multiple-stage self-setting rod-packing comprising in combination a stuiiing box, a ring having a conical depression formed in its inner face, said ring being constructed and arranged t'o it said stuffing box at one end thereof. and surround the rod to be packed, a second ring constructed and arranged to fit said stuffing box at the other end thereof and surround the rod to be packed, said second ring having its outer face in the form of a truncated cone, a plurality of conical separators interposed between said rings, said separators being provided with registering longitudinal channels and at least one of said separators having a transverse channel communicating with the longitudinal channel thereof, means for preventing relative rotative movement between said separators, and a plurality of packing rings, each having the form of a truncated cone at one en dcand a cone shaped depression at the opposite end, said packing rings being disposed between each pair of adjacent separators and between the said rings and the two end separators adjacent thereto, respectively.

5. A multiple-stage self-setting rod-packing comprising in combination a stuiiing box, a plurality of conical separators therein, said separators being provided with registering longitudinal channels and each `having a transverse channel communicating with the longitudinal channel thereof, means for preventing relative rotative movement between said separators, means for introducing fluid into the passageway formed by said registering channels, and a plurality of packing rings, each having the form of a truncated cone at one end and a cone shaped depression at the opposite end, said packing rings being disposed between each pair of adjacent separators and between the twoend separators and the ends of said box", respectively.

6. A multiple-stage self-setting rod-packing comprising in combination a stuiiing box,

a plurality of separators thereon, each having an outer convex vconical surface and an inner concave conical surface the outer periphery of each ofsaid separators closely fitting said stuiiing box and the inner periphery thereof being slightly spaced away from the rod to be A packed, each of saidseparators being provided with a cylindrical flange portion parallel to thefaxis'fof said conical surfaces, the ange portion of each of said separators abuti iting the flange portion of the separators next i adjacent thereto, and packingpmaterial disposed in the spacebetween each pair ofxadjacent separators, the inner periphery of said, flange portions and the ,rod to be packed said packing material projecting slightly beyond the inner periphery of each of said separators.

7. A multi-stage .self-setting rod-packing comprising in combination a stulng .box,'a'

plurality of conical separatorsv therein, said separators being provided' with registering longitudinal channels and each having a transverse channel communicating with the longitudinal channel thereof, means for pre'- ventin'grelative rotative movement between f said separators, a plurality of conical metallic lpacking rings, said metallic packin ringsbeing disposed'between one pair ofa adjacentl A separators, and means for introducing lubri-l 35 cant into the passageway formed'by said reg-' istering longitudinal channels. 8. A lmulti-stage self-setting rod-packing comprising incombination a stuiin box, a

I, r plurality of conical separators therein, all of 40 said separators being provided `with register ing longitudinal channels and'one iof said separators having a transverse channel communicatingf'with the longitudinal channel `thereof,'means forpreventing relative rota- '45 tive movement between said separators, a plurality ofA conicalinetallic packin rings, said metallic packing rin being isposed betweenA the separator aving the transverse channel aforesaid and the next adjacent sepa rator, packing material disposed between'the ,otler pairs of adjacent separators and be-` tween one ofisaid se arators and the end of said stuffing box, an means for introducin lubricant into the passageway formed by sai 55 registering longitudinal channels.

rod to berpacke least one of said separators having atransverse channel communicating with the longitudinal channel thereof, means for preventingrelative rotative lmovement between said separators and between said separators. and

said stuing box, and means for introducing iiuid into thelongitudinal channel in said stuiiin box.

' 11. Vmulti-stage self-setting-.rod-packing comprising in combination a stuing box protherein having an outer convex conical sur- -vided with a duct extending from the inner .to the outer periphery thereof, a separator face and an inner concave conical surface, the

outer periphery of said se arator closely fitting said stuing box and t e inner periphery thereof being slig tly spacedaway froml the the said separator being being provided with) a leak-olf duct ex .tending from the inner to the outer periphery thereof and registering with said duct in said -stuing box, and two packin rings each having thel formvof a truncate cone at one end and a conical depression at the opposite end,

said packing rings being disposed on either' side of said se arator and between the same and the endso said stuiling box, and projecting slightly beyond the inner perip ery of said separator.

p. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto vsubthis 30th da of Dec., 1929. WALTER QUEEN.

scribed my name 9. A' multi-stage self-setting rod-packing comprising in combination a stuing box, a

- plurality of conical separators therein, said separators. being provided with registering Y 00 longitudinal channels, `and each having a transverse channel communicating vwith the longitudinal channel thereof, means for prel ventingk relative rotative movement between said separators, andmeans for introducing 05 plastic packing material into the passageway 

